James Henry Downey, MD
1864 - 1937
In 1910, James H. Downey, MD built the only hospital between Greenville, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. The need for additional hospital services soon became evident and in 1912, Dr. Downey opened a second hospital – the Downey Hospital – located in Gainesville.
Dr. Downey was recognized throughout the country after he patented the Downey fracture table, which used weights to hold bones in place while they healed. In 1913, he was one of the first three Georgians inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Downey contributed a great amount of individual service to the medical profession and had a long history of helping others and improving methods of effective medicine. His dedication to the medical profession began a long tradition of high quality healthcare in our community.
